•Candidates to make course, subject choices on phones •First session now begins 8:30 a.m.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a National Digital Pre-Registration App (NDPA) that will enable candidates for the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to undertake much of the preparation for registration on their mobile phones before visiting accredited centres.
The Board has also shifted the arrival time for candidates taking the first session of the examination from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., following concerns over the safety of candidates travelling to examination centres before dawn.
JAMB, in its weekly bulletin released in Abuja, yesterday, said both measures were among decisions reached at its Management and Information Technology Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, where modalities for the 2027 UTME were reviewed.
Under the digital pre-registration arrangement, prospective candidates will be able to use their phones to research and plan their registration choices from home before proceeding to an accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) or Professional Registration Centre (PRC).
“Under the new arrangement, candidates will be able to use their phones to research, learn, discuss and plan their registration choices before visiting an accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) or Professional Registration Centre (PRC),” the Board said.
JAMB said the initiative would effectively transform registration centres from candidates’ first point of engagement to final verification points.
Through the app, candidates will be able to consider their choice of courses and programmes, check eligibility and admission requirements, determine appropriate UTME subject combinations and verify personal information before proceeding for physical registration.
Particular attention, according to the Board, would be paid to candidates’ National Identification Number (NIN) details obtained from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The app is also being designed to work on different types of mobile phones, with or without an active data connection, and will incorporate a scanning function to identify and prevent common registration errors.
JAMB, however, stressed that the app would not replace the official UTME registration process at accredited centres.
“Candidates will, after completing the preparatory stage, proceed to accredited registration centres to complete the official registration process and undergo the required verification,” it said.
According to the Board, allowing candidates to make crucial decisions before arriving at registration centres would reduce mistakes caused by hurried choices and cut down subsequent requests for changes of course, institution and subject combinations.
It said the arrangement would also enable parents and guardians to participate more effectively in helping candidates make informed choices.
The NDPA will complement existing digital facilities, including biometric verification, online payments and integrated services, as JAMB moves to improve the efficiency and integrity of the registration process.
Meanwhile, the Board said candidates scheduled for the first session of the 2027 UTME would now be required to arrive at their CBT centres by 7:30 a.m., instead of the previous 6:30 a.m.
The examination will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.
JAMB said the adjustment followed complaints about the difficulties and safety risks faced by candidates required to travel long distances to examination centres before dawn.
It said concerns raised by members of the public over the previous 6:30 a.m. arrival time were considered at the retreat.
According to the Board, shifting the schedule by one hour would improve candidates’ safety and convenience and reduce the possibility of some missing their examinations because of transportation and other challenges associated with early-morning movement.
Other examination sessions would follow the Board’s established scheduling arrangements.
JAMB said preparations for the 2027 UTME had already commenced and that lessons from previous exercises would be deployed to deliver a more efficient, credible and candidate-friendly examination.
It advised prospective candidates and the public to await further official communication on the full 2027 UTME timetable and other examination arrangements.
